Good morning, darlings!

I have some exciting designs to show you today. I loved Anabel Higgins’ work as soon as I saw it, and the more I see, the more I like it.

Anabel’s designs are bold and strong, eye-catching and unique. Her initial collection – which I am obsessed with – is inspired by the designs of sporting metals popular in Britain during the first half of the 20th Century. They’re elegant, beautiful, and most of all, they project strength.

Gorgeous, yes? I love the idea of putting an inscription on this: they’re so regal, it would be like wearing your own name as a trophy.

The powerful strength inherent in this collection makes perfect sense once you learn a little more about the designer: Anabel Higgins is a cancer survivor, and it was during her recovery that she found her way to creating jewelry. She still donates a portion of her jewelry sales to breast cancer charities.

I don’t want to take the focus away from the beautiful designs, but it would feel dishonest to post this without mentioning the personal connection I feel to the designs’ backstory.

The year after I graduated from college, my mom was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. I was living at home to help out, though chemo and everything as we waited and hoped and hoped and waited. Thanks to a bone marrow transplant, her doctors, and good luck, she’s doing great now. But in that horrible waiting period between diagnosis and whatever was to come next, my mom also turned to creativity to process her own struggle.

As of this week, it’s been 5 years since her transplant and my mom is completely cancer-free.

My mom’s book of poetry was published a couple of years after her diagnosis and it was the first thing I thought of when I read about Anabel Higgins’ journey to becoming the designer whose jewelry I so admire now. The strength inherent in Higgins’ designs is no surprise when you learn that the designer has fought though such hardships of her own.

I loved this jewelry before I knew anything about the designer’s life. It stands on its own. But I couldn’t write about it without also expressing admiration for the woman behind it.

For more about Anabel Higgins’ jewelry, please see her website. All images and info in this post are thanks to Communique LA.